<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Crowning Glory by spideywhiteys</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29729142">Crowning Glory</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/spideywhiteys/pseuds/spideywhiteys'>spideywhiteys</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>365 Days of Naruto AUs [57]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Ancient History AU, Bastardized Grecian/Egyptian/Roman Mythology, M/M, NOT ACCURATE TO ACTUAL ANCIENT HISTORY, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations, Power Imbalance, Prophecies, Queer Themes, Royalty, Slow Burn, Tags TBA., but lowkey, gods &amp; monsters, history is gay yall, powers from gods, shikanaru is sort of established already, twisted with naruto lore</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 19:55:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply, Rape/Non-Con</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,595</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29729142</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/spideywhiteys/pseuds/spideywhiteys</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Naruto is the Prince of Greece, a child born with the blood of two different Gods flowing in his veins. Over his head hangs a prophecy that strikes fear in the hearts of all, at his side stands his brilliant shadow, and on his shores comes a man who will one day be the King of Egypt.</p><p>or</p><p>Three men come together against all odds in a time where the Gods roam the earth and skies, and Fate, fickle as she is, has plans for them.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Gaara/Nara Shikamaru, Gaara/Nara Shikamaru/Uzumaki Naruto, Gaara/Uzumaki Naruto, Nara Shikamaru/Uzumaki Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>365 Days of Naruto AUs [57]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2086938</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>39</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Crowning Glory</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Day 57: Ancient Era AU / Shika + Naruto + Gaara</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Naruto wakes as the sun does, its light spilling in through the wide expanse of open window to caress his body. He shifts underneath thin sheets, the warmth of sleep still clinging to his eyes and bones. He does not wish to move from the quiet comfort, but today is an important day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A momentous day, as his teacher would say. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Naruto is no fan of academics; he’d much prefer to run in the wilds with the others, to hunt and dance and make honest work with what the Gods have given them. He can do no such thing, however, because he is a Prince — the only Prince to King Minato and Queen Kushina, their marriage blessed by Hera herself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Prince Naruto. It’s time to wake.” Calls the voice of his most trusted aid, the son of his father’s current right hand. Shikamaru enters without knocking, too familiar with the way Naruto acts and always aware of the easy balance between them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No one will be surprised when Naruto takes Shikamaru as his own right hand the day he’s bolstered to Kinghood. Naruto hopes that’s a long, long way off and his father has a long, long rule. Minato is a kind King, and though Naruto is eager to prove himself, he’s not eager to usurp his father. To do so would only bring tragedy upon their kingdom — and he loves them both; the people, and his father.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Must you call me by that title?” He groans, pressing his face into the soft pillows to drown out the sun and the pressing need to get out of bed. “It’s so stuffy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well too bad. I’m trying to set the mood for the day.” Shikamaru’s voice is much closer, and Naruto is not surprised when a moment later the bed dips, the other man’s weight falling into the plush cushion. “The emissaries from across the sea will be arriving within the hour.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Naruto pushes himself up, revitalized by the news. “Truly? The Egyptians?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shikamaru hums from his perch on the bed, the sun sliding across his features, turning amber eyes to honey and pulling orange hues from a brown canvas. He is the most marvelous creature Naruto has ever seen, and always will be; blessed by aphrodite herself, if Naruto’s opinion would be heard. His future aid looks to be crafted from the earth itself, in all its glory and beauty. Shikamaru looks as if he belongs to the forest, to the trees and rivers and delicate bird call. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Naruto believes that rumor of their descendance from Nymphs and Dryads.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, the Egyptians. If you don’t wish to miss their arrival or make a fool of yourself, I suggest you get up. Dealing with the fallout of idiocy would be way too troublesome.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m getting up.” Naruto grumbles, sliding out from under the sheets, naked as the day he was born. Caramel skin with not a scratch upon it — unable to scar, a gift from his great-grandfather, Poseidon — glows warm and alive under the rising hues of a morning sun. “I suppose my mother and father would prefer me to don the royal colors.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shikamaru grunts, and there is nothing casual about the way he’s familiar with the nudity of his future King. “The seamstress has prepared an outfit specifically for this day. Which you would know, if you paid attention at your own family dinners.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, I do! I pay attention to the important bits.” Naruto insists, smiling. “And I have you for the rest.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What a drag…”</span>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>From Naruto’s body falls fabrics of royal blue, to match the sky captured in his eyes. Lined with gold, woven by the most skilled of hands with the highest quality materials — it’s a lot. More than he usually likes to wear. Naruto’s preference has always been to get into the thick of things, to stain his knees with grass or dirty his hands in the fields. Gladiator battles are fun, but he is usually kept high in the stands, under shade and with servants waiting on him hand and foot.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s terribly boring, honestly. But he’s the son of the King, who is the son of Hermes — and the son of the Queen, the granddaughter of Poseidon. The blood of gods and the blood of royalty flows through his body like ichor, like liquid sunshine — to pour from his flesh, his hair; to seep into the cornflower blues of his gaze. He is godly, yet feels like nothing more than a man. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s glad for Shikamaru, who was raised alongside him; the Nara (and possible half-Nymph) was his grounding aid. The one to remind Naruto that he was a man, and only a man, still able to bleed red blood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shikamaru keeps his head down as he’s supposed to, walking a few feet behind him. He must because Naruto is royalty, and they are meeting royalty. As much as Naruto adores his future aid, the man is a station below him in the eyes of others — and what they have isn’t seen as proper. Naruto has to wait, and he’s not good at waiting. He has to wait until he’s King, and then no one can tell him he can’t let Shikamaru walk at his side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Where he belongs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Naruto thinks he might adore Shikamaru, in every way he can. He has memories of them being young and foolish, of him having enough energy for the both of them because Shikamaru had none at all. He remembers crying and being held by a wrathful Shikamaru, the only time Naruto has ever seen the other mad, when the Seers called Naruto terrible names and told him he’d change the world. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His mother had been furious too. They’d had no concrete proof it was him bringing destruction, just that he’d been in the middle of it all.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“If you destroy us,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Shikamaru had said, his hands pressed to Naruto’s skin — where they belong, where they will always belong — his lips whispering words Naruto never knew he needed to hear. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Then it will be for good reason, and I will be right beside you.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Naruto’s small procession makes it to the beach without delay. Grains of sand slide across his toes, his sandals not doing much in the way of protection. They look pretty though — which seems to be the point of most clothes fashioned for royalty. Nothing special, really, not even blessed by the gods.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>(Which sounds pretentious. But honestly, clothes are the least of Naruto’s concerns.)</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The ship from Egypt is the most unusual and stunning work of art he’s ever seen. It’s so much color, so many swirling, flat images carved into the wood; so very foreign among the Grecian ships. Naruto tries not to gape at the sight, but it takes Shikamaru subtly clearing his throat for him to snap his gaze from the ship. The envoy that exits is a trio, all swathed in light fabrics that protect from the sun. Every step comes with the chime of bells and the jingle of bracelets clacking together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He steps up with a smile, blinding in his gods-given beauty. “Hello there! Welcome to Greece, I’m Naruto!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shikamaru coughs again. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Prince</span>
  </em>
  <span> Naruto, here to receive the emissaries of Egypt. Please state your names.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Ugh,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Naruto rolls his eyes internally. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The figure closest steps forward, pulling white fabrics from their face. A shock of blood red hair is revealed, darker than Queen Kushina’s, but just as beautiful. Hair such as that is a sign of power, a sign that deserves respect. The servants behind Naruto begin to whisper among themselves, their heads bowing even further.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am Gaara of the Desert.” The man says, a title for a name. His skin is a shade of cinnamon dust from lands far away, and his glimmering teal eyes are rimmed with kohl. There is a mark on Gaara’s forehead, but whether it be a curse or a blessing, Naruto doesn’t know. “These are my siblings. Temari and Kankuro.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The other two incline their heads, fabrics still held up so only parts of their faces are visible. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shikamaru’s hand brushes the small of Naruto’s back. A reminder. A warning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gaara of the Desert is the heir and soon to be King of Egypt. His standing is currently higher than Naruto’s, and he would do well to remember it. But Naruto has never been one for politics, or for the stuffiness of pretenses.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello!” He says again, looking into eyes that remind him of sea glass. Another child descended from Poseidon, perhaps? Either way, the soon to be King must be blessed by the gods, Naruto’s or his own. “Your hair is beautiful.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gaara looks rather startled, invisible brows furrowing. “...Ah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, c’mon then! Let me show you around! There’s some really great places to see around here — and you don’t have to meet up with my parents, er, the King and Queen, for some time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Behind him, Shikamaru sighs. Resigned to whatever mischief Naruto will inevitably get up to. It’s a nice thought, however, to know that whatever happens he’ll be at Naruto’s back. A loyal shadow infatuated with the sun. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...I would...enjoy that.” Gaara says slowly, like he’s thinking very hard about the words before they touch his tongue. “Your highness.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Naruto wrinkles his nose. “No, no, please don’t call me that. We’re probably the same age. Call me Naruto. I’d like to be your friend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And Gaara...doesn’t smile, but his brow softens and his eyes are more beautiful than the ocean. “I think I would like that, too.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>